Foundation garment



4, 1959 M. M. SCHEINBERG 2,897,823

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed Nov. 29, 1957 INVENTOR. M0/"PL5M.Jc/1eu266/ '9.Mwrz, Lida Daniels chi larch HTTUENEYS 2,897,823 FOUNDATION GARMENTMorris M. Scheinberg, New'York, N.Y., assignor to De Luxe GirdlecraftCo., Inc.,. New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 29, 1957, Serial No. 699,811

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-542)."

This invention relates to foundation garments or girdles, and moreparticularly to garments of this type which are intended for maternityuse.

In the past many garments or girdles have been de signed for maternityuse, having provision by which they may be enlarged from time to time,as by letting out seams or laced connections and the like. While theseprior garments have in general provedto be satisfactory, they weresomewhat b ulky or cumbersome, and involved additional components orpieces, together with adjustable connections, which added appreciably totheir cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedmaternity-type foundation garment or girdle, which will accommodateitself to the normally expected changes in shape, without requiringloosening or resetting of portions or panels, or refitting in anymanner. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved maternitygirdle or foundation garment, which will automatically and continuouslycompensate or adjust for the increases in size of the wearer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedmaternity girdle or foundation garment as above set forth, wherein addedsupport is given to the lower portion of the abdomen of the wearer, asthe size becomes larger, thereby to produce an advantageous andbeneficial uplight effect.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improvedmaternity girdle as above set forth, which provides the utmost comfortby virtue of the uplight effect and adjustment for increased sizeoccurring automatically and continuously as time goes on, all withoutrequiring attention on the part of the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved maternityfoundation garment having all of the above advantages and which isnevertheless simple in its construction, and extremely economical tofabricate.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference are used wherever possible throughout the several views, inwhich:

Figure l is a front elevational view of an improved maternity girdle orfoundation garment made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational View of the maternity garment.

Fig. 3 is a left side elevational View of the maternity garment of Figs.1 and 2.

As shown, the improved foundation garment of this invention-comprises atubular, waist-encircling body designated generally by the numeral 10,said body including top and bottom elastic edgings 11 and 12respectively, which are adapted to encircle the waist and the hips ofthe wearer. The body further includes a pair of side panels 14 and 15which are connected together at the back of the body by a centrallydisposed, wedgeshaped panel 17 and a pair of smaller, triangular panels18 and 19.

United dtates atent Preferably, the central panel 17 is of one-waystretch material as indicated in Fig. 2, whereas the panels 14, 15, 18and 19 are of two-way stretch material, also indicated.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the body 10 also includes a relativelylarge, front panel 22 which extends from the upper edge or elasticbinding 11 of the body to the lower elastic binding 12 thereof.

, In accordance with the present invention, the relatively large frontpanel 22 is made of material which has relatively small resistance .tostretching, and in conjunction therewith I provide a pair of reinforcingpanels, extending across and spanning the lower portion of the frontpanel, the entire arrangement being such that the garment will in effectbe automatically let out or become larger as required during the periodof wear, while at the same time a desirable and advantageous uplighteffect is had of the lower portion of the abdomen.

Accordingly, referring to Fig. l, the front panel 22 is preferablyprovided with curved or convex side edges 24 and 25, whereby such panelis wider at its center portion than at the upper or lower edge portionsthere of, and in conjunction with the panel 22 I provide two overlappingreinforcing panels 27 and 28 which are of material having a much greaterresistance to stretch than the material of the front panel 22. Each ofthe panels 27, 28 is connected with both of the opposite, lower sideedges of the front panel 22, and span the lower portion of saidfrontpanel. Thus the reinforcing panels 27 and 28 provide appreciableadditional support to the lower portion of the front panel 22, which isdesirable not only in view of the lesser resistance to stretch whichsuch front panel 'has, but also to provide an advantageous uplighteffect.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the reinforcing panels 27 and 28 havediagonally extending upper edges 30 and 31 respectively, such edgesextending from lower points 32 at the side edges of the front panel 27to higher and opposite points 33 at said side edges. Thus, the saidupper edges 30, 31 are seen to cross each other approximately at thecenter of the front panel 22, and preferably are secured together atthis point.

It is seen that each of the panels 27, 28 reinforces the other panel,while both said panels act as a firrn reinforcement of theeasily-stretched center panel 22.

I have found that, by the provision that the easily stretched centerpanel in conjunction with the crossing reinforcing panels 27 and 28 theformation garment as shown will automatically let itself out or becomelarger during the period that it is worn, in accordance with therequirements of the user. Moreover, such action follows wholly from theconstruction of the garment as above set forth, without requiringattention of adjustment on the part of the user at any time.Additionally, the uppermost, exposed portion of the front panel 22 willlet itself out to the greatest extent, whereas the lower reinforcingpanels 27 and 28 and the lower portion of the panel 22 will be let outto a lesser extent, and will thereby provide a desirable uplight effect,supporting the lower portion of the abdomen and tending to exert agentle, upward pressure thereon.

Preferably all of the bottom edges of the panels 27, 28 and 22 aresecured together, as by stitching, at the time that the lower elasticedging 12 is applied to the body of the garment.

While, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, I have shown oneparticular configuration for each of the front panels 22, 27 and 28, itwill be understood that the shapes of these panels may be varied withincertain limits without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also,various types of materials may be employed for the said panels. I havefound, however, that an openrnesh material which has substantially aone-way stretch, is advantageous in forming the panel 22, as indicatedin Pig. 1, whereas a two-waystretch.materialis.ofaduantage in forming.the .panels .27-and'-28.

Other variations and modificationsmay be made within the scope of theclaims.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment comprising a permanently tub'ularwaist-encircling body having an upper continuous edge and a lower.continuous edge and having a one- 'piece front panel at its front,extending .thefulldistance from its upper to-its lower edge andconstituting'afrelatively large portion of 'the front .of said-body,said .front panel being adapted .for disposition across .the abdomen ofthe wearer :and being of material having comparatively little resistanceto stretch; and .a pair of reinforcing panels of material havingtgreaterresistance to stretch, extending substantially horizontally across andin front of the front panel and having diagonally extending upper edgescrossing each other, each of said reinforcing panels being permanentlyconnected along substantially its-full lower edge with substantially thefull lower edge of the front panel and :being permanently connected withboth of the opposite lower side edges .of said front panel and spanningthe lower area thereof, thereby to provide additional support to saidlower area, a portion of one side of said front panel and spanning thelower area thereof, thereby to provide additionalsupport to said lowerarea, a 'portion of one side edge of each one of the reinforcing .panelsbeing joined permanently with the entire juxtaposed side edge of theother reinforcing panel, which j uxtaposedside edge is coextensive withsaid portion. of

one side edge.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1,.in whichthe reinforcing panelsconstitute substantially half of, .the .area

rial having greater resistance to .stretch, each being permanentlyconnected with both of the opposite lower side edges of said frontpaneland spanning the lower area thereof, therebyto provide additionalsupport to said lower area, a portion of one side edge of each one ofthe reinforcing panels being joined permanently with a side edge of theother reinforcing panel which is coextensive with saidedgemontion, saidreinforcing panels having diagonally extending ;upper edges connectedbetween a lower point on one side of. the front panel and an .upperpoint-on the. other sideof the front panel.

4. lllhe invention ras, defined in claim 1 in which the flower edge ofsaid front panel and-bothof the said reinforcing .panels which aresecuredtogether constitute a Pa t. Of the continuous lower edgeofthesaid body.

References .Cited in .the file. of this ,patent UNITED :STATES PATENTS1,203,020 Leopold et a1. Oct. '31, 1916 2,326,476 Mayer Aug. 10, 19432,705,799 Frischer Apr. 12, 1955 2,854,006 Geimer Sept. 30, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS 632,196 Great Britain .Jan. 20, 1941

